1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is broadly concerned with improved foamer products designed for use in personal care products such as shampoos and the like. More particularly, the invention pertains to foamer products, methods of preparation thereof and personal care products including the foamers, wherein the roamer products include a quantity of an aqueous liquid hydrolyzed grain protein such as aqueous hydrolyzed wheat gluten protein, with an amount of initially solid hydrolyzed grain protein solubilized in the liquid ingredient. Such foamer products can be readily incorporated into personal care items and have good foaming properties.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A number of liquid products are designed to generate foam upon use thereof. For example, personal care products such as shampoos and bath and shower gels must noticeably foam in order to be acceptable to consumers. Similarly, detergents and other types of cleaning products also must foam. In the past, a large number of foaming agents have been used in these types of products. The goal is to create an acceptable amount of foam without over-foaming.
In recent years, the consuming public has evinced considerable interest in so-called xe2x80x9call-naturalxe2x80x9d personal care products, as opposed to those containing synthetic ingredients perceived to be less desirable. In the case of foaming agents, it has been known to provide hydrolyzed wheat gluten protein powder as a foaming agent. While this material is deemed xe2x80x9cnaturalxe2x80x9d, and generally has acceptable foaming properties, it is often very difficult to readily solubilize or disperse the powder during formulation. If conventional blending and mixing techniques are followed, quantities of the powder settle out and/or create a hazy, unacceptable appearance. Thus, compounders have been forced to employ specialized equipment or processing steps in order to use hydrolyzed wheat gluten protein foaming agents.
Aqueous liquid hydrolyzed wheat gluten protein has also been available, but has not found any utility as a foaming agent. Indeed, such liquids simply do not have any real degree of foam-generating power.
There is accordingly a need in the art for an improved hydrolyzed grain protein foaming agent which has good foaming properties while at the same time being readily usable in various product formulations without the need for specialized mixing steps or equipment.
The present invention overcomes the problems outlined above, and provides an improved liquid foamer product broadly including a quantity of aqueous liquid hydrolyzed grain protein, together with an amount up to about 10% by weight of initially solid hydrolyzed grain protein solubilized in the liquid hydrolyzed grain protein. It has been found that such a combination retains the good foaming characteristics of the initially solid product, while overcoming the formulation problems inherent in the use thereof.
In more detail, the liquid and initially solid hydrolyzed grain protein ingredients are preferably selected from the group consisting of proteins derived from wheat gluten, soy, rice, oat, corn, jojoba and mixtures thereof, and advantageously the liquid and solid protein ingredients are both prepared from the same natural protein. In practice, it is preferred that both the liquid and solid ingredients be hydrolyzed wheat gluten protein.
The overall foamer product normally includes from about 78 to 85% by weight total hydrolyzed grain protein therein, and more preferably from about 80 to 83% by weight thereof. The product moreover has a pH of from about 3-6, more preferably from about 4-5; a solids content of from about 15-25% by weight, more preferably from about 17-22% by weight; and up to about 2.5% by weight ash therein, more preferably up to about 1.5% by weight ash.
The aqueous liquid hydrolyzed grain protein ingredient should contain from about 14 to 20% by weight protein therein, more preferably from about 16 to 19% by weight. The initially solid hydrolyzed grain protein ingredient should have a protein content of from about 90 to 95% by weight, more preferably from about 91 to 94% by weight. The initially solid hydrolyzed grain protein ingredient should be present in the aqueous liquid hydrolyzed grain protein ingredient at a level of from about 1-10% by weight, more preferably from about 2-6% by weight.
In terms of foaming power, the products of the invention should preferably exhibit an initial shaker foam test height of at least about 140 ml, and a final shaker foam test height which is at least about 70% of the initial shaker foam test height. Furthermore, the initially solid ingredient should preferably be at least 95% (more preferably at least about 98%) solubilized in the liquid ingredient.
In preparative procedures, the liquid ingredient is placed in a mixer such as a vortex mixer, and the initially solid ingredient is slowly added during vortex mixing. Thereafter, the mixing is continued for a period of from about 1-12 hours, more preferably from about 2-4 hours. Incorporation of the solid ingredient into the liquid ingredient can be done most readily at ambient temperature, although the addition can be made at temperatures ranging from about 20-75xc2x0 C. Normally, the liquid is agitated using a mixer operating at from about 300-2000 rpm.
The foamer products of the invention can be used in a wide variety of products, particularly personal care products such as those selected from the group consisting of bubble baths, hair shampoos and shampoo conditioners, hair styling gels, hair conditioners, hair reparatives, sunscreens, shaving creams, and bath and shower gels. Generally, the foamer products are used at variable levels depending upon the type of product in question, although the range of use typically is from about 3 to 10% by weight, based upon the total weight of the personal care product taken as 100% by weight.
The following examples set forth preferred methods for production of the liquid foamer products of the invention. It is to be understood, however, that these examples are provided by way of illustration and nothing therein should be taken as a limitation upon the overall scope of the invention.